Everly

I woke the next morning with a yawn and a smile. I’d never been so relaxed, so at home, so content. I’d flown to another country, met a gorgeous little girl and the devilishly good-looking man she called daddy, then had my first ever orgasm under a man’s hands.

I rolled over in bed, cuddling with the pillow as a smile creeped up my face. Mason had walked me back to my room last night, a protective hand at my lower back, and given me an even softer kiss before we parted ways at my door. He was a dream. I felt as if I was a princess and my dashing prince had swept me off my feet.

I crawled out of bed, anxious to get downstairs and start my day with Savannah, and maybe see her dad while I was at it. As I combed my hair and dressed in the en suite bathroom, I thought about what the next few months might look like. I knew that my first priority was to take care of Savannah—I couldn't lose sight of that. I didn't know if Mason or I were controlled enough to keep this—whatever it was—hidden, but I felt it was probably the best thing that we did, at least for now.

Not only was I worried about what Mrs. Potts might think, but Savannah deserved all of my attention. Perhaps that was something I should remind Mason of. Perhaps we should cool this thing off. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. But to be truthful, I didn't want to cool it off. What had happened with Mason had shocked me, excited me, made me feel needed and wanted, and so many more feelings I’d never quite felt before.

He was older, over thirty at least, and I was just twenty-two, inexperienced and new to all the feelings rolling in my belly whenever he was around. But that didn't scare me. My mother would have told me it should have—men like him have women falling all over them, she’d say—but I didn’t believe it. Not with Mason. Sure, they were falling over him, but with the way he guarded himself, with that dark stare and moody exterior, I sensed he’d pushed more women away than welcomed. Mason was the kind of man that was selective and extremely cautious in his affections.

I stopped, taking in my reflection in the vanity. My eyes looked too large, my cheeks a little too round, billowing dark hair covered my shoulders. My hips were too curvy, my breasts way too big, and my ass too pronounced. I’d never drawn the attention of a man like him. A man that ate up all the air in any room when he entered. A man whose eyes flicked up and down my body and made me feel like the most beautiful woman on earth.

I applied a small amount of lip gloss and a swipe of mascara before I left the room and headed down the sweeping staircase, eager to find Savannah and Mason. It was odd, but Kingsley manor felt like home to me already.

“Morning, dear!” Mrs. Potts called when I entered the kitchen.

Savannah was sitting at a barstool at the island, legs swinging as she devoured syrupy pancakes.

“Good morning!” I patted Savannah on the head before turning to Mrs. Potts. “How can I help you?”

“Oh nothing, dear, just cleaning up before I get started on dinner tonight. Beef Wellington,it’s Mr. Kingsley's favorite and he requested it special for tonight. Usually we only have it over the holidays, so there must be some reason he wants to celebrate.” The old woman winked, and my cheeks flamed with heat.

“That sounds delicious.”

Surely Mrs. Potts hadn’t seen anything last night, but then again, maybe she knew everything. She could have seen us at any moment—we hadn’t exactly been careful to hide ourselves. Shame shrank my insides as I wanted to run right back up the stairs and burrow under the warm covers.

“Morning, ladies.” Mason chose just that moment to walk into the kitchen. His eyes flicked to me with a wink before he placed a loving kiss at the crown of Savannah's head. “I’ve got some free time over lunch. I was thinking we could go into town, show Everly around. What do you say?” He looked from her to me, his blue eyes dancing when he caught my gaze.

“That sounds great,” I said.

“Yeah! I love going into town. Daddy always gets me treats from the sweet shop!” Savannah squealed and clapped. The joy radiating from her was contagious.

“Well, it’s settled then.” He grinned, planting another kiss on his daughter's cheek before turning to meet my eyes. “I look forward to it. Meet back here around eleven?”

“That works for me. You don’t have any lunch meetings I don’t know about do you, Savannah?” I asked, my smile brightening.

“No! I’m a kid! I don’t have meetings.” She laughed before turning back to her pancakes.

“Looks like it’s a date then.” Mason’s lips curved up in a half grin before he turned and left the kitchen, taking the air from my lungs along with him.

“Well, he sure is in a good mood today,” Mrs. Potts said as she pulled ingredients from the fridge.

“Daddy’s always in a good mood. He’s the best daddy ever!”

“He sure is, baby girl.” Mrs. Potts smiled at Savannah, eyes misting with warmth and love before she turned back to the counter.

“I was thinking you could take me on a tour of the house after you’re finished eating, Savannah. Can you be my tour guide?” I asked, maneuvering the conversation away from all things Mason.

“Oh yes! I’m the bestest!”

Mrs. Potts and I broke into laughter at her childish enthusiasm.

“You know, you’re good for the soul.” I patted Savannah’s head, content to soak up her shining light.

“What does that mean?” she asked.

I grinned, taking a seat next to her on a bar stool. “It means just being around you makes me happy.” I grinned, taking a seat next to her on a bar stool.

“Here, get some food in your belly. We can’t have you starving.” Mrs. Potts pushed a plate of pancakes toward me. “They should still be warm, fresh out of the pan as you came in.”

“Thank you.” I slathered the plate with syrup and cut into them.

How could anyone not feel at home here? There was still so much I didn’t know about the estate, but what was clear was that there was more than enough happiness to go around. I couldn’t wait for what the next few months might hold.

A while later, Savannah pointed into a room, her other hand locked in mine as we wandered the long hallways of the beautiful home. “And this is the playroom. I don't play in there much though. I like to play in Daddy’s office while he’s working.”

“Does your daddy work from home every day?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

Savannah nodded so fiercely her ringlets twisted in waves around her shoulders. “Yeah. He used to go on big airplanes all the time, but when I came, he said he never wanted to leave again.”

“Well, that sounds like a great daddy.”

“Yeah, he is. But sometimes he looks sad. I try to make him laugh. He likes to be tickled.” Savannah burst into a fit of giggles as if recalling one such memory. “But sometimes the sadness doesn't leave.”

We wandered down the hall as I worked over her words in my mind. Seeing Mason from her five-year-old perspective was fascinating and so sweet. I was trying to piece together all the things that made Mason click, and there was no doubt that Savannah’s happiness was the biggest one.

“Everyone gets sad sometimes, Savannah. It’s okay. You just have to remember to be happy more than you’re sad.”

“That’s what Mrs. Potts says, but I think he wants a mummy for me. My mummy died…” her words were like a cleaver to my heart. “This is Daddy’s room.” Savannah switched gears and pushed open Mason’s door.

Before I could stop her, she barreled in and jumped onto the fluffy bed that dominated the middle of the room.

“Maybe we shouldn't be in here.” I lingered at the doorway, wondering what the rule was in the situation.

“It’s okay. Daddy lets me play in here too. Sometimes I even crawl into bed with him when I have a bad dream.”

I walked in and held her hands as she climbed to her feet on the bed, then she hopped around on it. “You do have the best daddy, huh?”

“I happen to agree.” Mason’s warm voice heated my insides.

I turned to find him standing in the doorway, arms crossed as he leaned against the doorjamb, watching us.

“Daddy! Can we go to town now?”

Savannah launched herself off the bed, running full force at him before attaching herself to his leg and holding on for dear life. He laughed, taking a few steps into the room and carrying her along with him. She giggled fitfully before he lifted her in his arms and tossed her on the bed, attacking her with busy fingers.

“Tickle monster!” he called as she wrenched around the duvet and squealed for dear life.

The scene warmed every piece of my heart. He paused, giving her a chance to catch her breath before she twisted off the bed and barreled out the door and down the hallway.

“Get your coat and shoes on! We’ve got a date to get to!” he called after her.

His eyes nailed mine, and the energy in the room suddenly shifted. Gone was the innocent sweetness, replaced with charged energy, as though our bodies were attached by a rubber band stretched past its limit.

“Having a good day, Ms. Grayson?” Mason crossed the room slowly, eyes holding mine as he approached.

I felt caught in his crosshairs, unable to move if I even wanted to. But I didn't want to. “It’s been great.” I couldn’t look away from his eyes. I thought I could fall into them, drown myself in all the things he made me feel and never come up for air.

He dusted a kiss across the hollow of my neck. “Good, because it’s about to get better.”

His words shook me to my bones, the promise so sweet and seductive.